What a crazy old world we live in, huh? Massive gyrations on international stock exchanges, soaring / plunging / soaring exchange rates, riots in London, snow in Auckland. It’s enough to make one want to put one's head under the pillow and sleep until it’s all over!

Last month, I described the storm of Armageddon proportions that has devastated the New Zealand grapevine nursery industry in recent years. Navigating through such conditions is not something any of us would choose to do for fun, and I’ll be the first to admit that these past two years have been exhausting on many levels.

To say that the New Zealand wine industry is in the midst of the “perfect storm” almost seems like an understatement. From my perspective, as a nurseryman, the past two years have been like no other – unless, perhaps, you count the tail end of the boom and bust cycle in the kiwifruit industry before it set itself on a more even footing.